Unusual
by x0x0shy
Summary: Emmett has been acting very strange lately...what will come of it? Summary sucks Its my first story, be gentle? Rated T for possible future stuff.
1. This Strange And Wonderful Feeling

Though the night outside was unusually quiet, the two lovers inside could hear everything: the smooth intakes of breath they made, the slight shift in the floorboards when one of them moved, the stream that bubbled half a mile from their window. They could hear the subtle sound of the wind rustling the trees, the wildlife that scampered along the forest floor, and, off in the distance, a car speeding along the freeway. They had exceptional hearing, exceptional sight, and exceptional speed, but that did not prevent them from having the same problems that any normal couple had. However this was no normal couple, for these beautiful two were vampires.

Emmett Cullen was sprawled out on the bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling looking bored. His mind was in the normal places mostly. Jasper had beat him in an arm wrestling match earlier that day, he was planning the rematch. Spring was coming around quickly, he was wondering how long he'd have with the grizzlies, and, this being the most unusual place for his mind to be, Bella Swan. He was thinking of Bella Swan.

She was upstairs now, in Edward's room. With Edward. He could feel her heartbeat quicken, then stutter, then stop, only to resume again. He could hear her breathing, coming in loud, ragged gasps. He knew that Edward didn't think he could go that far with her physically, and he wondered what they could be doing that would make her breathe like that. They couldn't be....his temper blackened as he thought of it. He shook his head. No, they couldn't be. But what on earth _could_ they be doing?

Normally a very happy go lucky person, Emmett's temper was just starting to bubble, when his wife, for all intents and purposes, interrupted him.

"What's got you in such a bad mood?" Rosalie asked, though she already knew. She'd been with Emmett for almost eighty years, she didn't need to hear his thoughts to know exactly what he was thinking. She'd been sitting at her vanity, brushing out her hair, and feeling his mood turn darker every moment. More specifically, with every noisy breath that stupid Bella Swan took. Emmett was thinking of Bella.

Why on earth such a hideously plain creature would capture his attention at all was beyond her. It didn't make any sense that every man within fifty feet of her was uncontrollably drawn to the girl. She'd been nothing but trouble for as long as Rosalie had known her. The only man that hadn't wanted her for himself, her brother Edward, was madly in loved with the Swan girl. Carlisle thought of her as another daughter. Jasper was helplessly amused with her, and now, to add insult to injury, her own husband, her own Emmett, was upset because it sounded like she and Edward were being intimate upstairs! It was all becoming too much. She glanced in the mirror, to make sure she hadn't developed some terrible deformity in the past few moments, and waited for Emmett's reply.

"Jasper always beats me. He's not stronger. I know he's not stronger. I think he cheats. He makes me feel all warm and fuzzy till I don't want to pummel him anymore. I've gotta figure out a way to make him turn it off..." he grumbled. On the surface, this sounded like a perfectly acceptable thing for Emmett to be thinking about, unless you didn't know Emmett. If you knew Emmett, you'd know he didn't spend time _thinking_ about confrontations. Had that really been what he was thinking, he'd have gone to find Jasper immediately (he was in the kitchen, reading a book), and blurted out his accusation before he'd even completely finished the thought.

But he wasn't going to find Jasper. He was laying here, with his hands under his head, looking pained. The expression on his face was so unusual for him that, no matter what the cause behind it (or how **stupid** it may be), she wanted to comfort him. She rose from the vanity, blonde hair cascading down passed her shoulders, like gold over her white robe, and even whiter skin. As she crossed the floor to lay with him, his brow furrowed, and he moved. In one fourth of a second, he'd moved from the bed to the door, and was staring at her disapprovingly. As if her touch, her very presence, was the last thing he wanted.

She stared at him, more vulnerable than anyone had ever seen her, willing him to come back to the bed. To come back to her. But he couldn't. His head was clouded with the scent of Bella Swan, hands aching to touch skin like he knew he never could. The frown on his face went away, replaced by a smooth mask of indifference. He shrugged.

"I'm going for a run," he called over his shoulder as he walked out of the room.

Rosalie stared after him for what seemed like a long time. She sat, just staring at the door he'd just walked out of, and the collapsed on the side of the bed, tearless sobs racking her body. Though she'd love to, she couldn't force herself to hate Bella Swan. It seemed that no one had ever really loved her the way she deserved to be loved. Apparently her beauty wasn't enough. Maybe there was really something wrong with her.

Insecurities she'd never voiced before plagued her, as she stared at the door, waiting for Emmett to come back, and listening to Bella's breathing even out in sleep. Envy washed through Rosalie. Oh, the things she would give for sleep.


	2. Realization and Running Away

The air whipped around him as he ran, smooth and sure, through the forest near his home, but he was fuming. What was he thinking?! How could he? _When_ had he started thinking of Bella as more than just his soft, new little sister? As more than just Edward's new love? When had that happened?! He thought back. Had it been one of her accidents? Had an overwhelming need to protect her morphed in to this feelings? He snorted. No. She was very well protected, Edward saw to that. As protected as she could be, given she was prone to accidents and close to fearless. It seemed impossible that the little girl wasn't afraid of anything, when almost everything seemed to hurt her. Wrapping paper had almost been her demise! Wrapping paper!

He threw his head back and laughed. She sure was something. But the laugh died in his throat when he thought of the after effects of that night. They'd left her. They'd left her and she'd ended up in the care of dogs, and she'd almost died. Though the rest of the family couldn't see why she'd wanted to be with the shapeshifters in the first place, he saw it clear as day. They gave her what she needed, what Edward was afraid to give her, and what Emmett saw that she craved: contact.

Being as they were, he was sure, without having to see it, that they'd swept her up in bone crushing hugs, all of them, not just the one that was in love with her. They'd slung arms across her shoulders and stroked her face when they were worried. They'd touched her. Maybe it was just a stupid, human belief that he'd brought with him to his new life, but Emmett believed people needed to be touched. He hated that Edward never touched her like she wanted. You could tell she wanted him to. She stayed so close to him, like she was hoping that maybe he'd reach out, forgetting his strength for jut a moment, and hold her a little closer than he normally did. And why didn't he? She'd ran with wolves, surely she was used to a little excessive force.

He stopped. Shook his head, disgusted with himself for a moment. Visions of Rose filled his head. She'd looked so sad. Almost sadder than he'd ever seen her. Almost. He'd seen the moments when she'd been broken. Moments where she'd stir from her dark memories and sob endlessly against his chest. And in those moments he'd held her, rocked her, let her shudder and scream until she was okay again. He was a rock for Rosalie. No matter what storms she blew in his direction, he held, and did so with a smile. She needed him.

She'd needed him tonight. And he'd left. He'd never hear the end of it. He knew she'd be waiting on the bed when he got back. Staring at the covers, refusing to look at him. He'd deserve every curse he got, every scream she could give him. He'd have to shield his thoughts from Edward as well. That'd be hard. It was hard for him to shield his thoughts at all. He didn't have much of a filter. Pretty much everything he thought, he said. For this reason, Edward never focused on reading his mind, which might give him a little bit of space to work out his confusion. He didn't love Bella Swan. He loved his Rosalie. However, he did want her. He wanted her almost unbearably, and he needed to get that under control.

A wicked grin crossed his face. He knew just what he could do. He turned around, running back for his house. It was time to make up with Rosalie.

She heard him in the trees before he'd gotten to the house. She couldn't let him see her this way. Hair disheveled, paler than usual she was sure. No, he couldn't see her this way. Rosalie straightened and hurried back to the vanity. In a move that was very uncharacteristic of her, she only brushed her hair out slightly before lying back in the bed, where Emmett had been before, staring at the ceiling. If she'd had a living heart, she was sure it would be breaking at the sounds of Esme and Carlisle in their room, giggling, caressing. She wanted to be sick. Vanity was her most prominent trait. If she couldn't be happy, why should anybody? She shook the thought from her head vehemently. If anyone deserved the happiness that she couldn't grasp, it was Carlisle and Esme. They'd been perfect to her. They'd put up with her screams, they'd talked with her through her colder nights and, more than anything, that'd given her Emmett.

As if on cue, he walked into their bedroom then, crossing over to her quickly, laying beside her on the bed. They lay silently for a moment, and as she took in a breath to speak, he cut her off. "Go ahead Rosie, do your worst. The louder you scream, the better the make up sex will be." He shrugged, grinning idiotically as he normally did, and she froze. It took her almost a full minute to remember what she'd been ready to say in the first place, and by the time she recalled, she realized it didn't fit the anger that coursed through her now. A new anger was in her veins. Venom pooled in her mouth, but she swallowed it. She took another unneeded breath.

"Like I could have sex with you now," she spat. "I will not be your replacement for her, Emmett. I won't be your Bella." She rolled, turning her back to him. He wrapped his arms around her.

"No, you won't. You'll be my Rosie. My fiery, feisty, downright mean Rosie. Thats what I want. I want you Rosalie." He whispered in her ear. She softened against him, sighed slowly, and guilt for the lie coursed through him like fresh fire. He would be imagining Bella when he made love to her. He'd be wishing her hair were brown, wishing her skin were warmer, wishing her cheeks would turn red from the exertion. He'd be hearing the soft mewls he imagined would come from Bella, and not the throaty cries that always came from Rosalie. But the lie was what she needed, so the lie was what he gave her. He always gave Rosalie exactly what she needed.

He lowered his lips to her throat, sucking on the soft skin he found there, while his hand trailed up her side. Needing better access, he rolled her onto her back, kissing her lips gently, as if trying to gauge her reaction. He parted her robe, letting his hands explore her body. He was just starting to get into it when she spoke.

"I don't want this." She informed him, but her nipples were hardening, her breath coming ragged. He laughed into her skin. "Yes you do, Rosie," he assured her, as his mouth continued its dangerous path down her stomach, to her pelvis, pausing to kiss her hips on both sides as they thrust into the air above them. But she held firm.

"No, I don't. You're still thinking of her. I know you are. I don't want to be with you while you're thinking of her." She mumbled. He looked up at her. Hurt, again. He'd hurt her. He didn't know how. He was doing everything in his power not to think of Bella. Not that it was working, but he didn't think it was showing through.

One mention of her name in his mind was all it took though, and he was off. He looked off into the distance, for what he thought was just a moment, thinking of how different this night would be if Bella was in Rosalie's place.

Rosalie watched in horror as his eyes glazed over and he stared off into space. Hands on _her_ hips, on his wife's hips, and he was still thinking of Bella Swan! She hadn't seriously thought he was thinking of her, she'd just needed to be reassured one more time before she gave herself over to the pleasure he was giving her.

But his face, his face proved to her that she wasn't the one he wished was moving under him now. That the scent of her arousal was not what he wished he was smelling. The thought of him replacing her with someone else, of wishing someone else was sharing this passion with him threatened to break her long dead heart. It made her feel almost as violated as that night in the alley, dim in her memory, yet still painful. She took a breath, and responded with a strength she didn't have that night. She pushed him off her as hard as she could.

Bella jolted awake, the sound of crashing glass dragging her out of her slumber. She felt Edward tense beside her. Given the tumultuous danger her life included now, she went into a small panic. "What is it? What's wrong?" She asked Edward, words flying from her mouth in a frenzy. He stroked her arms and tried to soothe her.

"Its nothing, Bella love. Rosalie and Emmett are having a fight. I wish they'd have waited till morning to start breaking things." He muttered this last rather darkly. "You were sleeping so well." A smile played about his lips as he thought of her confessing her love for him in her dreams. Even though he'd heard it thousands of times, it stilled warmed him a little more when she said it in her slumber, like she meant it a little more then. How had he ever left her?

Snapping back to their current situation, he realized she was still tense. A crowd was forming at the door of Emmett and Rosalie's room. He tried reading some thoughts, but no one seemed to know what was going on really, and he couldn't get passed Rosalie's mental shouts of: How dare he! How _DARE_ he?!

Edward chuckled at a thought he picked up from Esme. "I'm sure Rosalie's more upset with herself than anyone else, she pushed him into her vanity. Its completely ruined now." His smile widened at the picture of Emmett sitting on the floor of their room, looking bewildered. Bella was drifting back towards sleep.

"You should go down," she suggested dreamily. "They all listen to you, even Rose. You should help them work it out...." she trailed off, returning to her world of dreams. And even though she'd never know whether he'd done it or not, he couldn't deny her. He left the bed quietly, and padded down the stairs to see what the commotion was about.

Emmett sat on the floor, battling a strange emotion that he could only describe as fear. He wasn't embarrassed. He and Rose had fought before, had broken things before. Shit, they'd leveled entire houses before. But a decision Rose had apparently made, and the emotions of betrayal and hurt and jealousy and shame swirling around the room had Jasper and Alice standing at the doorway, looking at them nervously. He knew Jasper knew what he was feeling, and he knew Alice knew what this night would do to the future, but they still didn't know why. He had to get out of here before they knew why.

Esme and Carlisle joined Jasper and Alice and the doorway of the room. Emmett tensed again. Before he'd come along, Esme had been the one Rose cried to, and he was sure she'd do it this time. He had to get out of here before she could tell anyone. If Edward found out......Edward! He was padding down the stairs now. He had to leave. He had to leave Edward found his thoughts of Bella. He had to leave until he didn't think these things anymore. Alice gasped almost silently as this decision was made, looked at him pleadingly.

As he rose, he could faintly hear Esme whispering "Oh Rose, your poor vanity..." No one really noticed when he walked towards them. Alice squeezed his arm once as he pushed by them all. He was out of the house before Edward made it to the bottom of the stairs.

He stopped once, outside, looking at the window where Bella slept, hands almost burning to touch her just once, knowing he never could. He knew he'd be gone for a long time, trying to get over Bella. He shook his head slowly, sadly, and then he ran.


	3. Whispers in the Dark

The cell phone Edward left Bella for emergencies rang next to her nightstand while she was doing her homework. This was the time Edward usually called. Too late to still be at her house, but too early to sneak through her window. She answered quickly.

"Edward!" She breathed excitedly into the phone. A deep rumble of a sigh responded.

"You know, it sucks to be in a family with that kid. Doesn't matter that I'm bigger, or stronger, or ridiculously more attractive, and far less moody. Everyone's still talking about Edward. Edward, Edward, Edward!" This last was said in his best Bella impression. It was actually quite good. She laughed out loud.

"Emmett!" She squeaked, delighted that he was okay. But there were more pressing matters. "Where are you!? Why'd you leave? WHy'd you leave Rosalie? Have you seen Rosalie? Talked to her? She's terrible, you know. You should call her. Why are you calling me? How'd you get this number?" The questions came, rapid fire, until Emmett laughed. "Minnie, take a breath!" She did, noticing that she had indeed forgotten to breathe, and was feeling rather light headed from all the talking. "This is why Minnie Mouse should stay quiet," he muttered, "not enough air for all the questions she has." Bella glared at the phone. "They're good questions Emmett. They need answers. You need to come back." She said quietly. She didn't know why he'd called her, but she was going to do her best to make sure she got the message through to him as well as anyone else could.

Emmett took a deep breath. "Well for one, the whole family has this number, just in case Edwards somewhere else and we need you. Or you need us." Lie number one. He'd stolen the number from the glove compartment of Edward's car before he ran. "I called you because you're the least intimidating." Lie number two. She was definitely the scariest phone call. He'd called her because his want to touch her had escalated to need, and then morphed into a need to be near her at all. "No, I haven't seen Rose, or talked to her. I don't plan on it. Don't push that Minnie." Lie number three. He had seen her. In the distance, he watched....making sure to run again when she noticed. He couldn't speak to her, but he heard her screams sometimes, and they made him sure that he couldn't come back to her just yet. "I'm in Denali. And I left because...." He let the sentence hang in the air. He'd slipped, spoke without thinking. What could he tell her? He wasn't going to answer the question, he wasn't even going to address it. Why had he? Oh God.

"You left because....?" Bella prompted. And it spilled out.

"I left because I was having inappropriate thoughts about a close friend of the family. I knew that these thoughts would have a serious effect on certain mind readers in my house and I didn't want anybody hurt. I just didn't want anybody hurt, Bella." He said it very quietly. Bella forged ahead without thinking.

"Rosalie's hurt Emmett! Esme's hurt, so Carlisle's hurt, so Edward's hurt, so I'm hurt. And Alice and Jasper and -- OH!" she cried. Then silence. Then a whisper, that only a vampire could hear, laced with fear and uncertainty. "Inappropriate thoughts that would hurt certain mind readers....and cause Rosalie to throw you into her vanity." Again silence, then a quieter, "Oh."

"I should probably...I don't know why I....Bella." He let out a huge sigh. "I wanted you to know that I'm sorry. I screwed up, I ruined everything and I need for you to know that I'm sorry." Bella sat for a moment, just listening to the sounds of their joined breathing. "Don't tell anyone I called you." And with that, the line went dead.

Bella stared at the phone for a long time, until she heard her father turn the television off. She knew it was late, and that Edward would be through her window as soon as Charlie started to snore. She smartly deleted the last incoming call on the phone, finished her notes, and beat Charlie to the shower.

It was selfish, but she stayed there for a while. She knew her father was waiting but she couldn't wrap her head around the drama that seemed to be her life. Emmett? Her and Emmett? She couldn't...she'd never even thought of him that way. He was so completely and utterly Rosalie's. As she was so completely and totally Edward's. But...like she couldn't understand what Edward saw in her, it was almost impossible to see what Emmett saw in Rosalie. Sure, there was the beauty, but to spend eternity with someone, she figured they'd have to be more than beautiful. She'd always assumed there was some redeeming quality Rosalie had, one that she just didn't want to show anyone else. Apparently not. Emmett had strayed from her. For....

"Bella! I'm going to need the hot water too, ya know?" She jumped as Charlie pounded on the door. She hurriedly turned the water off, realizing she must've been in there a long time. Charlie had never rushed her out of the shower before. She finished her routine, called to Charlie that she was out, and went to her room.

He was there, waiting for her on the bed, as always, but she couldn't look at him. No, he couldn't read her mind, but it was almost impossible to lie to him while looking at him, so she skipped in entirely. She told him she was utterly exhausted, and climbed into bed. He frowned, but said nothing. His arms curled around her and he hummed her lullabye until she fell asleep.

Later, when the speaking started, he wondered who had wronged her in dreams that she was forgiving so much. "I forgive you. It's alright. It'll get better. I'll make it better. I forgive you. I'll make them see. I forgive you. I forgive you."

* * *

**A/N: I think this is the length I'm going to keep posting them at. The first felt too short and the second felt too long. What'dya think? -Shy**


	4. The Strong One

Rosalie's wails filled the house, breaking Esme's heart. "How could he!" She cried, over and over. Violent sobs racking her body, trembling violently, pale as ever, eyes focused on nothing. It'd been three days since Emmett left. He'd left no note, and Alice could only see that he wasn't coming back until he was ready. In Denali, with Tanya, still following the lifestyle they'd set for him. But taking no women, though they wanted him to, and not coming back anytime soon.

Rosalie still hadn't told Esme anything. She couldn't let the words leave her mouth. She couldn't openly admit that Emmett had left her because he didn't find her up to par with Bella Swan. She couldn't even think it. It did terrible things to her self esteem. She couldn't dwell on the _why_ of him leaving. Only that he left. He'd left her. He'd been so repulsed by her that he'd left her. It'd been three days! He'd never come back. How could she...what had she done? He'd never left hr before. They'd had fights. Much worse fights. They'd screamed and hollered and hit each other even. But he'd never left.

She felt emptier than she'd ever been, in this full house, without Emmett. And though she tried to get ahold of herself, embarrassed by the fact that everyone could see and hear her anguish, she couldn't stop screaming, begging for him to come back. Knowing he was in Denali, she couldn't help but hope that he would hear her, hear the pain he caused her, and come back.

What Rosalie didn't know was that every night, Emmett called Bella. Most nights she didn't answer. It felt like a betrayal to be the only one speaking to him. It bothered her that she couldn't tell Edward, and was glad Edward couldn't read her mind, because the conflict swirling was her most constant thought. She couldn't bear to be in the Cullen house anymore, Rosalie's screams haunted her when she left. It felt like a betrayal to the entire Cullen family to be in touch with Emmett and not say anything, so she stayed out of touch with him of her own will. Most nights. And on those nights, he left her messages. It amazed her that, despite the whirlwind going on, Emmett remained the same. The messages took the tone of any other conversation, as though his talking to her was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hey Minnie...I had to call because I saw something today that you'd totally love. So I'm in the forest hunting, right? And this big ass bear comes out of nowhere, right! And he's charging at me, right? And I'm ready, God, am I ready. And then all the sudden, he just stops!! It was crazy! Like, he was in full bear mode, arms raised, teeth bared, the whole nine. And then he just stopped. So I'm staring at him, trying to figure out what the hells going on. I didn't wanna attack him when he was just standing there like that. Its no fun when they're docile, so I got closer. He still didn't move. Staring straight at the ground right? So I try to look at what he's looking at, and guess what I see? This huge ass bear is completely frozen, petrified, staring at a little mini mouse!!!" Then he'd laugh longer than any human possibly could, never taking breaks for air, and that'd be the end of the message.

Emmett's messages always made her giggle. They were never sad, they never talked about why he left. They were never deep, or heart wrenching. She didn't think Emmett was capable of deep and heart wrenching after a while. She looked forward to the messages, to the hours of endless laughing she'd receive. He'd point out little things that weren't normally funny. Like how when humans were hungry, they'd start mixing their words up with edible objects. They generally caught themselves before anyone noticed, but if you had vampire hearing, it was easier to see.

Bella had been listening for it in class that day, and when Mr. Banner almost said celery biology instead of _cellular_ biology, she almost fell out of her chair from laughter. She had to excuse herself from the room, tears falling from her cheeks. Edward escorted her out and let her laugh, but he looked at her curiously the whole time. He'd heard it, obviously, but he hadn't seen any reason as to why she'd be listening so closely, or why she'd find it so funny.

She broke out into little giggles for the rest of the day, almost having another breakdown when Jessica Stanley's eyes glazed over while discussing the properties of pi in trig.

But when she thought about it really, it sobered her up considerably. She never laughed like this with Edward. Edward was everything she needed, everything she wanted in life, but they never laughed like this. They never shared hours of endless joy over stupid things. They're love was easy, but they're interaction was kind of awkward. He was always so concerned about making sure she lived a full life that he never really allowed her to live it. She didn't hold it against him, she loved him for it. His fierce protection of her was another thing that made him who he was, the love of her life. Now, however, it was starting to bother her. His protective love for her was starting to chafe around the edges and she found herself enjoying, taking comfort in the secret world of laughter that Emmett had formed for them.

Edward was so glad that she was happy, he couldn't bring himself to focus on the why. It was disconcerting, that'd she'd been so incredibly full of joy the past week, especially when he hadn't had the strength to be joyous with her. His situation at home was wearing him down. He knew it was getting to Jasper as well, he hunted and roamed far more often, but it was just so hard. Being around Rosalie was so hard. Her mental screams were longer, louder, and more heartbreaking than any she could voice from her throat. And that's all she did in her mind: scream. There were no words, just impossibly high pitched wails that carried on forever. Edward was sure the waves of despair and rage rolling off her were too much for Jasper as well. He himself would've long since gone mad if it wasn't for the blissful mental silence that was his Bella.

But with Emmett gone, Edward and Jasper couldn't just abandon the family as well. Carlisle, with his abundant calm and patience, was at his wit's end. Emmett had never been one for planning ahead, so Alice couldn't see him in the future, she could only see things he'd already done, or was in the process of doing. Esme was almost as broken as Rosalie. It pained her greatly to watch her first daughter come apart this way. It pained her to know her second son had left. She was watching her family dissolved and it pained her. Everyone was stressed, and tired, and hurt, and someone had to be strong. Edward decided to be that person.

Rosalie hadn't hunted in four weeks now. She hadn't moved from her spot on the couch in the living room since Emmett had left two weeks before, and they hadn't gone hunting since two weeks before he'd left. Edward got the family together, and agreed they were going to have to kidnap Rosalie, and force her to eat. It was Wednesday, and they decided they'd do it over the weekend. She wouldn't go easily, and it would take all of their strength to get her out of the house, and keep her there long enough to feed herself. He figured they'd be gone the entire weekend, from Friday night to Sunday night, and so he went to tell Bella.

**A/N: A diehard Twilight fan would know that my timeline is a little off. As far as their classes at school and things of the nature. Sorry for that. Sorry for the delay in posting, but the story's moving quickly in my head now, so I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get my review. Speaking of which, thanks soooo much to Broadwayluvr24 for reviewing every chapter. It'd be nice if I could get more reviewers so faithful. Sorry for the rambling. Hope you're all having a Happy New Year! -Shy**


	5. A Favorite Distraction

"Emmett honestly, you need something better to do with your time. Letting another vampire practice her shock powers on you is about as pathetic as it gets." Bella scolded Emmett with a smile on her face as they sat on the phone that night.

"But Minnie, you don't understand, its so freaking COOL! Like....you just walk right up to her, and shake her hand, and BOOM! You're on the ground in so much pain you wish you'd never been born. Its KILLER! Right now she can only do it with her hands, but I'm helping her practice projecting it. So eventually, it'll be her whole body. IMAGINE THAT, Minnie! Like one day, you'll just go give her a hug, and BOOM! back on the ground again! Its great! I wonder what she could do to Jane. I mean, given she could _get_ to Jane. We'll have to orchestrate that. That'll be your job Minnie, cause some catastrophe that'll bring the whole Volturi guard here. You can handle that, right?"

"Oh yeah, the whole Volturi guard, plus the wives, no problem, gimme a week." She drawled sarcastically. She was glad she decided to answer the phone tonight. Edward had been distant lately, and she'd been wearing herself thin trying to make him smile as much as possible. Emmett was her therapy from that.

"That's my girl. My Minnie Mouse, taking on the bears." He chuckled, and she giggled a little in response, then sighed as she looked at the time.

"You gotta go?" He asked sullenly. "Yeah," she replied, "gotta get this homework done before Edward gets here." She glanced at the notebook on her lap. She was supposed to be taking notes, but the page was mostly filled with doodles. "I could help you!" He perked up at the thought. She shook her head. "You're distracting." She told him. "But I'm a good distraction, right?" He asked. She giggled, and nodded her head. "My favorite distraction. Goodnight Emmett." "Night, Minnie," and he hung up the phone. She laughed again, laughing was easy with Emmett, and was just beginning to focus on her homework again when there was a tap at her window. Edward was here. He was early.

She let him in, giving up on her homework for the night when she saw the look in his eyes. He crossed to her slowly, taking her into his arms and holding her there for the longest time. At first she loved it, being wrapped up in him, drinking in the sweetness of his breath. But when the hug continued on, she started to worry, not for herself, but for him. She tried to pull away a bit, to look at him. He let her. His dark eyes looked down on her hungrily. She forgot to breathe.

The kiss took her by surprise. It was dark and hungry and more than he'd ever given her. He gave her his tongue, the cool, wet, sureness of it. It shocked her, sent a wave of heat through her mouth, making her head light, down through her neck, that arched and leaned into the kiss, through her chest, where her lungs ached for breath, but she denied them. It slipped down around her heart, coating it in the most lovely way, before settling in a hot ball at her lower stomach. It made her arms reach up and wrap around his neck, fingers tangling in his hair, pulling his face closer to hers.

He gave her velvet honey moans, hands on her hips as he carried her to the bed, moving aside all her school work and laying her down beneath him. He moved between her legs, pressing his hips down against hers. She gasped into his mouth, pushing her hips back up to meet him, completely lost in the white hot heat of it.

And then he was gone. She fell back against her pillows with a great whoosh of air, and suddenly found herself staring at her ceiling. Had it not been for his ragged unnecessary breathing, she would have thought he'd left her entirely. She propped herself up on her elbows to look at him. His back was to her, forehead leaning on the wall. He clenched and unclenched his right hand, left hand splayed against the wall for support. His shoulders rose and fell heavily, his copper hair dark from the rain that still fell outside. His eyes would be dark, she didn't have to see them to know. They'd be the shade of burnt honey. They'd be lovely, but frozen. There'd be no warmth in them now. He wouldn't touch her anymore. She laid back against the pillows again.

They were silent for awhile. Edward in shame, and Bella fighting against a strange, lust driven anger. Her fingers were on her lips, still puffy, swollen, and tingling, as though they couldn't be calm without Edward's own lips covering them. She could still feel the heat from where their hips had been pressed together, and she noticed that the heat was coming from her, radiating from her center. She shifted her knees and felt the delicious wetness that had formed at her very core. She almost moaned from the pleasure. Instead she let out a great sigh. "You can't keep doing this to me," she said, still staring at the ceiling, hand at her mouth.

He turned around to look at her, breathing under control now. "I'm sorry," he responded. "You have no idea how sorry I am..." he hung his head, mentally berating himself. Why was it he could not control this feeling he felt whenever he was around her? Was he doomed to act like a stupid, human, hormonal teenager every moment he was blessed to spend in her presence?

"Why do you start these things at all if you're always so sorry afterwards?" She was upright now, staring at him, whispering furiously. He looked up at her sharply, confused. Words escaped him for a moment, "I, thats not to say- I'm not....I'm not sorry I touched you...I'm just....I'm sorry we can't go any further." He said, after a while. Her pleading gaze turned to a glare.

"We can go further, Edward, you just won't." She'd pulled her knees up to her chest and was looking away from him, her hair cascading down one side of her face. She was so beautiful, he thought, even when she was hurt and angry. He was furious with himself for being the reason she was that way but he couldn't see anything else for them to do. "Well then I'm sorry I won't go any further." He said quietly.

She looked at him for a long moment, then shook her head and laid down under the covers. He walked slowly, noisily towards the bed. He wanted her to hear him. Wanted to give her plenty of time to say-

"No, Edward. I can't do it tonight. I can't have you near me tonight knowing that.....knowing that....I just can't, okay." Her words were choked with emotion, tears threatening to spill out behind her eyes. He stopped moving.

"We're taking Rosalie hunting. We won't be back until Monday." He whispered, almost quietly enough that she didn't hear him, but she did. "Be careful. Have fun." She said quietly. He nodded, it didn't occur to him that she wouldn't have seen it. He left as quickly and quietly as he came.

The silence scared her. She sat up straight in bed, looked around wildly, called his name as loud as she dared, but he didn't come back. He'd left her, without a goodbye. He'd simply left. Tears spilled over her cheeks silently, wetting the sheets of her bed. SHe pressed her face into her pillow to quiet the sobs, she didn't want to upset Charlie. Rejection and sadness and hurt swamped her. She knew she was being irrational, that he thought he was doing what was best, but it hurt. It hurt so much when he pushed her away, when he left her. Was there nothing she could do to please him? Would she never please him?

She stayed that way for a moment, giving herself over to the pain. But eventually she realized that she couldn't keep living like this, she couldn't keep falling into mini depressions every time Edward wouldn't touch her like she wanted. It didn't matter how unfair it was for him to keep stirring up these feelings in her and then turning away. It didn't matter that it wasn't fair. She couldn't keep living like this.

She had to shake herself out of this misery that was threatening to swallow her up. So she did the only thing she could do, she called Emmett.

**A/N: ooooooh, drama. lol tell me what you think of the writing, honestly. Doesn't matter if you hate it. I can't get better if nobody tells me what I'm doing wrong. -Shy**


	6. Plans

He was there faster than she thought possible, even for vampires. One minute she'd been all but bawling on the phone, as he listened quietly, murmuring that it would be alright, that she would be okay, that he would make it better. The next minute he was rubbing circles into her lower back. Soft, but firm at the same time. Comforting. His voice was thick with emotion, more southern than she'd ever recalled hearing it before.

"He's an idiot Minnie, just plum foolish sometimes, I swear. What makes it worse is that he thinks he's the smart one, but he'll see darlin', I promise you, he'll see." He whispered soothingly into her hair. Which smelled like sweet and heavy like summer and made him think all manner of things he shouldn't be thinking when he was supposed to be comforting her. "It'll be okay, honey." He said again, and Bella shot up. This was the first time he'd actually seen her face since he'd been here, and, even through her tears, he was completely shocked by her beauty.

"It won't be okay, Emmett!" she cried, "He doesn't want me! And why should he?! Why should he?! I'm just plain, not spectacular. I blush and I fall all the time. I never know what I'm doing. I push him and push him and push him and he always says no and then I tell him to leave and when he does, I feel like my whole world is falling apart all over again." She cried. He pulled her close, letting her sob against his chest.

"You're far from plain, Minnie. Far, far from plain. You're the closest to perfection that man's ever seen. Guaranteed. I'd reckon even the stars are jealous of you." She snorted. "Only because I have Edward." He snorted right back, "I've always thought of stars as fun loving things. What the hell would they want with Edward?" She laughed a little, just a little, and he squeezed her a little tighter. "Edward's just the lucky son of a gun that got you, but the stars have wanted to be you since birth, I'd bet. You're flawless, Bella." He soothed. But her head shot up again. "Then why doesn't he want me!" She cried. "Why doesn't anybody want me?" She sobbed.

Something violent pushed its way up into his throat, and he had to scoot her off of his lap so he could pace her room. His eyes had hardened when he looked at her again. "I can't help with your little pity party anymore Bella, not if you're gonna talk like that." He said, flatly. She looked at him, confused. "Nobody wants you? Nobody _wants _you?" He continued. "I left my _family_, I ran away from my _home_, for wanting you. And then, when you needed me, I came back for _you_. My wife can't find it in her to _eat_ with I'm gone, but I came back for _you_. I'm _sick_ for wanting you, Bella. Almost insane from it. So I can't let you sit here and say silly shit like nobody wants you. I can't do that." He raged quietly, careful not to wake her father. She stared at him in awe. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. So angrily, so passionately. He wanted her. And even though it was wrong, and she'd never act on it, it made her feel good. Nothing wrong with feeling good. Especially when she wasn't going to act on it....was she?

"Emmett I..." she began, but quickly realized she had no idea what she was going to say. "You make me laugh." she blurted out dumbly, he turned to look at her, and without words, she knew it wasn't enough. She continued. "He doesn't. We don't just laugh. You make me see the world different. You make it brighter for me. And sometimes, when me and Edward lay here, in the dark, talking about the future, and marriage, and my change, and VIctoria, sometimes I wish it was you laying with me, and that I didn't have to worry about such big things any more, and that I could just laugh." She quieted, and looked up at him. He'd stopped pacing, and looked at her with an expression she couldn't at all place.

All at once he was walking over to her, scooting her over on the bed, and laying in the spot where Edward usually was, except he was closer, laying under the blankets with her. Emmett didn't feel as cold as Edward, she realized, and wondered why.

"Why did the chicken cross the road?" He asked her quietly. "I don't know, why did the chicken cross the road?" She fired back. He shrugged, "I have no idea, thats why I was asking you. Humans have been laughing at that joke for decades and I've never gotten it." His face was serious, but his tone was light, and she giggled a little.

They continued that way until late into the night, when she fell asleep, nestled in the crook of his arm. He lay there for while, waiting for the talking, wondering who's name she would call in her sleep. When he finally heard it, it was bittersweet perfection. "Emmett..." she muttered, "I need you, Emmett." she sighed, snuggling closer into him, and in that moment he knew he needed her too.

He was gone before she woke up that morning, but she realized she'd slept better than she had in a long time. Edward would be gone all weekend, she wondered if she could convince Emmett to come back. He was good company.

She wondered what she was going to do about Edward, and how she was going to get Emmett's scent out of her room. She tried not to think about Edward and his coming back as she went downstairs to make breakfast for herself. But she couldn't help but realize this was going to be a problem. If Edward were air, Emmett had just become water. She needed him in her life. She didn't know how she was going to explain to the love of her life that she'd been in touch with his brother all along. She didn't know what she was going to say to Rosalie, but something had to be done.

Emmett's mind wandered along the same paths as he ran. He tried to steer clear of where he knew his family would be hunting, but he came close enough with in their path to hear Rosalie screaming. It ate at him that he'd done this to her. It ate at him that it didn't bother him _more_. It tore at him to no end that, in his heart, Bella's one night of peace balanced out Rosalie's screaming, and he knew if he didn't do something soon, he'd be hearing Rosalie's screams for the rest of his life.


	7. Going and ComingLosses and Gains

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. But I use stories like this to imagine I did.**

**A/N: I'm so incredibly sorry for the neglect I've been showing this story lately, I got caught up in my other one, and thats no excuse, I'll be posting them more quickly now, because I'm pretty sure I know where I want this to go. Enjoy!

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So Emmett stopped running. In the direction he'd been running at least. Emmett turned around and went back to where he'd heard Rosalie. She heard him first, probably because she was listening the hardest. Her wild and violent screams quieted before he'd fully come into view, and by the time he'd slowed to jog, they were sharp cries of "Emmett?? EMMETT!!??" He hung his head, and though he knew he should have something more articulate on his mind, all he could think is _she's gonna rip off my dick. Pray God she doesn't throw it somewhere. Or __**hide **it __somewhere, gah, that would suck._ And with that on his mind, he stepped out in front of his family.

Rosalie looked at him for long time. _Probably trying to remember the best form of Chinese Water Torture_, he figured. Edward coughed, and then shook his head minutely. Emmett sighed in relief, then sighed again, in something that was definitely not relief. He looked Edward straight in the eye. _We need to talk, you and me, when I'm done with Rose. _Edward tilted his head a little, confused. _You'll hate me. I'll deserve it. And you'll probably want to hurt me, which is fine. Just...don't kill me, kay? I might deserve that too, but don't do it to Rose. I've caused enough damage to last a lifetime. _Though Edward still look perplexed, he nodded. Emmett met Rosalie's gaze head on. "Do your worst, Rosie. Just know that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Rose." He hung his head lower.

She started walking towards him, slowly, like at any time he may disappear and she wanted to be ready. When she was close enough, she touched his chin, tilted it up until they were eye to eye. Then she did something no one expected: she collapsed in his arms. He caught her before she could hit the ground and pulled her close. Her breaths was coming in gasps as she commanded him, "Never, EVER, leave me, again. Ever. I. Don't. Care. I don't care what the, problem is. Don't LEAVE Emmett. You can't leave me." She said. And he knew that he'd broken her worse than anyone ever had, which was saying something, considering all she'd been through. He stroked her hair, kissing it as he went, and murmured softly. "I'm not going anywhere, Rosie. I didn't...I didn't know how to handle some things. But I do now. I will now. And I'll never leave. I'll always be here, okay?" He whispered. She nodded, and Emmett raised his eyes to Carlisle. "Has she fed?" He shook his head. Emmett knew she wouldn't go with anyone but him, but he needed to get this thing with Edward out of the way first. He whispered to Rosalie.

"Okay, Rose. We're gonna go get you something to drink, alright? But first I need to have a conversation with Edward." She growled. "Its gonna be a silent one, sweetie. I'm not going anywhere. But he might want to hurt me after. And if he does decide to hurt me, you've got to promise me you'll let him do that, okay?" She snarled openly. "Rosalie!" His voice was low and menacing, one of command, that the family almost never heard him use. "Are you going to do what I"m asking you to do?" She nodded quietly. He looked at Edward, and suddenly couldn't figure out where to begin. "Best to start at the beginning," Edward prompted, and Emmett nodded. He started with the night he'd left, the run he'd taken, the things he'd thought about. He remembered Rosalie's anger, and the panic he felt when he'd heard Edward coming. He remembered calling Bella, laughing with her before Edward came to her at night. And lastly, he remembered last night.

When he was finished, Edward was snarling, dropped into an attack position. Emmett shifted Rosalie behind him. _I'm not going to stop. You're not going to kill me, and I'm not going to stop. _He though, vehemently. This pulled Edward out of his reverie. "You're not going to stop? You're not going to _stop!!?? _Look at what this is doing to our family! Look what its doing to Rosalie. You're _going_ to stop." He snarled at Emmett. But Emmett saw nerves in Edward's eyes, and it made him less convincing than he should have been. Emmett took Rosalie by the hand and together they turned their back on Edward, rushing off into the forest.

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Her hands were doing the laundry, but her mind was torn. To call Emmett, or to let Emmett call her. Would Emmett call her? _Probably not, wouldn't want to hang around a basket case all night_, a small part of her thought, but the larger part was pretty sure he'd call her. Her stomach growled. Time for lunch, she thought.

"You haven't eaten." A familiar velvet voice replied, and she spun around, stifling her scream, somehow transforming it into an appropriately breathless, "Edward!" His eyes were dark, but not from hunger, she didn't think. He was angry, it was radiating off him. "You were expecting someone else?" He strained to make it sound like a question, but his face said he already knew. Yet and still, she lied. "I wasn't expecting anyone, Charlie's fishing with Billy this weekend, and I thought you'd be gone until Monday." she replied, picking up the clothes she'd dropped in her initial panic and putting them in the wash. She then headed into the kitchen to make herself lunch.

Tension was thick in the air around him as he made himself comfortable at her kitchen table. She pulled out all the makings of a turkey sandwich and began to prepare her meal. Struggling to sound conversational, he said, "Emmett came home today." It would be a source of great pride for her, in the years to come, that she did not drop the knife she was holding. Her eyes went wide, but her back was to him, so it didn't matter. She forced out a bright "That's wonderful!" Followed by a more subdued, "How's Rosalie taking it?" She put some chips on the plate with her sandwich, and went about pouring herself a glass of lemonade.

_Could Emmett have been lying?_ Edward thought to himself, as he watched her pour yellow liquid into a glass. _She doesn't seem nervous at all. _"She's thrilled, he's back, I mean, that's what she wanted, and she got it. But...I have a feeling it'll always be different now. There's the possibility that he'll leave her, something she'd never even thought about before. It'll haunt her I think." He mused.

At this point Bella was sitting at the table, looking at him steadily. "I know how that feels," she said, never taking her eyes off of him. Shame like he'd never known washed through him, and all the sudden he understood Emmett's intentions a little better. He'd left for Rosalie, not for Bella. He'd left because he didn't want to hurt Rosalie, of course he'd ended up hurting her more than he'd ever imagined, but he'd done the same to Bella. Edward found couldn't judge him so very much then. He reached out to touch Bella's hand. "I hurt you," he began. "You do," she nodded. He pulled his hand back, shocked. She looked at him tiredly, because his reaction was expected.

"You think the hurt is gone, just because you're back, but its not. Everytime you leave, every time you're out of my sight, its like you take my air with you. I can't breathe. Walls start to close in around me, because you left me. I realized you can leave me, and that if you do, you take every part of me with you. I realized that I'm just a shell of a person without you. You hurt me everytime you leave, everytime you're not touching me, it hurts." She paused, gauging my reaction I suppose. "Whatever you hear in Rosalie's head now, whatever Jasper feels, I'd bet its gonna sound, or feel like exhaustion. She's tired of hurting, so she's just blocking it. The real pain will come after. When he was gone and it hurt, it made sense. It may have seemed a little excessive, but it made sense, to her and everyone around her. Now when it hurts, she won't be able to explain it in a way that'll make sense to you. She'll be angry with herself. She'll feel like it'll hurt for no reason, but it won't stop it from hurting, and she won't be able to tell anybody, not even Emmett, because she'll fell like if she does something wrong he'll leave her. Because she knows now, that he can leave her." Edward was shocked, and completely ashamed. She was talking about Rosalie, but she was drawing from personal experience. She'd never said this before, never explained to him how deeply the hurts were.

"So when we can't be....intimate like you want..." he said. "When you leave, afterwards," she corrected. "It hurts you," he finished. "It does." She nodded. His face darkened. "So you call Emmett," he supplied. And she sighed, finally, they'd reached this part. "So I called Emmett. Only the once, only last night. And nothing happened. Surely he showed you that nothing happened." She said, amazed at how calm her voice sounded. Amazed at how calm she _was_. Yes, Emmett had been there, but it had been nothing wrong, it hadn't felt like anything wrong, and she wouldn't make Edward turn it into something wrong. "He said he wasn't going to stop." Edward retorted, "So it doesn't matter that it was only once, because he'll keep doing it. Everytime I'm not here, he will be. It won't take long for something to happen, not with the way he's thinking." But Bella didn't believe that. She was amazed, amazed at herself, at the fact that she was doing this, that she was arguing with Edward.

"He's a good friend to me. Like Jacob was. You remember Jacob? My best friend that doesn't speak to me now because I chose you. Because I love you? You remember that? Emmett is good to me that way. And I know how he wants me. He told me. But he won't do anything I don't want to do. And I don't want him that way. Plus, its nice to know...to know that he would. To know that if it went there, he wouldn't stop, he wouldn't leave." She muttered the last. Edward's hands tightened on the table. Bella took a long swallow of her lemonade. "And what happens when you decide that you _do_ want him like he wants you, what am I supposed to do then?" He asked. And she couldn't look at him, because she didn't know. She knew it was possible, but she didn't know what anyone would do. Staring at the completely untouched food on her plate, she said, "you should go, before you break the table. Charlie likes this table." And with that he was gone again. But she wasn't sad this time. She was thinking of Rosalie, and wondering if ROsalie would ever find someone to fill the void the was Emmett had filled hers.

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**A/N2: I need three reviews before the next chapter goes up. Seriously.-Shy =]**


	8. Maybe I'm Crazy

_**A/N: After this chapter, I'm fairly certain I'll be switching to multiple POVS. Tell me what you think. && thanks so much for the reviews. I asked for three & got seven, so I'm posting this as quickly as possible for you guys, it means a lot to me.**_

She didn't call Emmett. She finished her lunch and went back to the laundry. She did some history homework, boring as that was, and chuckled at the thought of learning history through books, when she had decades old vampires down the road to tell her themselves. It was impossible.

She was sitting on her bed, wondering which of the Cullen men would find Cleopatra a worthwhile person to spend time with when the phone rang. She knew it was Emmett. She had a feeling Edward wouldn't be around for a while. She picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Minnie. You feelin' better?" His voice was gruff and tired, but she didn't notice, she launched straight into her tirade.

"I was. Oh, I was doing loads better, until Edward came home two days early to ask me if I'd had fun sleeping with his brother." She snapped out. He sighed heavily, and she heard it then. She felt bad immediately. He'd been dealing with Rosalie all day. The last thing he needed was someone else yelling at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that." She whispered.

"Its fine." He replied, "I deserved it. I've deserved everything I've gotten today. I fucked up." He sounded so sad. She'd never heard him sound that sad. She wanted her happy go lucky Emmett back, and soon.

"So, name something that you wanted today, but didn't deserve?" She asked him. A long silence was her response. Then he chuckled. "I'm outside your house right now. I brought a movie. I don't deserve to be let in, and if you don't I'll understand. But I'd really like to just sit with you for a while." She was already on her way down the stairs by the time he'd finished the thought. She opened the door for him with a huge smile on her face, and as soon as she saw him she hung up the phone.

His smile was blinding, and in the time it took her to regain her sight, he'd come into the house, closed the door behind it, picked her up, swung her around a little, and set her back down. She couldn't help but laugh. "Emmett," she smiled, looking up at him. "Bella," he responded, trying to be more subdued, taking a step away from her. She grabbed his hand and led him into the living room, where she plopped down on the couch, and him on the floor beside her. "What'd you get?" She asked, excitedly, trying to lean closer to where he was without falling. Her smile was infectious, because he was smiling too as he held up the DVD. "The Matrix. The first one was the best. I was gonna get one of those girly romantic comedies, but I couldn't even sleep through it and so I was hoping you wouldn't mind if..." But she was up already, she snatched the DVD out of his hands and put it into the player. She spun around and looked him, trying to be stern, "Don't move," she commanded, and he nodded his assent.

She ran upstairs, grabbed her winter blanket from under her bed, and then ran back down. She wrapped it around her snugly and then went to sit between Emmett's legs on the floor. He looked down at her for a moment, wondering what had come over her, but he didn't want to ask. She was an angel for giving him this. He didn't deserve it at all, but as long as she was offering...

He wrapped his arms around her and breathed in the scent of her hair. His world shifted, and everything felt right as the opening credits started to play.

_Meanwhile, back at the Cullen house_

Rosalie was in a panic as soon as she stepped out of the shower and realized Emmett wasn't there. Edward rushed downstairs to explain before her worries could alert Jasper. He didn't need to know. Nobody needed to know the extent of Edward and Rosalie's rejection, though he was sure Alice already did, she hadn't said anything. But no one else needed to know. Except Rosalie. Rosalie deserved to have a clue what was going on.

He let himself into the room Rosalie and Emmett shared quietly, to find her sitting on the bed, looking around frantically, as though at any moment he'd pop out of the closet. "He's not here," she whispered, still not looking at him. He nodded, "he's coming back." She looked at him that, eyes sharp, "He's not coming _back_, Edward. If he was coming back, he would've told me he was leaving, he wouldn't have tried to sneak away while I was in the shower. He's left me. He's not. Coming. Back." She bit the words off, trying to make them make sense to herself, but they didn't, couldn't. She shook her head, resigned. "He didn't tell you where he was going," Edward sat on the bed beside her. "Because he knew it would upset you, he knew you'd fight, and he didn't want that, so he just left." He told her. Her eyes were slightly out of focus when they met his again. "But you know where he is." She whispered, but he looked away. Should he tell her? Now that he was looking at her, he wasn't sure. Her voice was steady, but her eyes were wild. Her thoughts were coherent, but she didn't seem to hold any ill will against Emmett, and that wasn't like Rosalie at all.

"Its not going to get any worse when you tell me." She snapped at him. "I'm not going to get any crazier." She smiled, but there was a cruel edge to it. "I already know, anyway." She shrugged, rising off the bed, "I just need to hear it. From you. It means something more if I hear it from you." She looked at him, and he shrugged.

"He's with Bella." He said, quietly, and to his complete and utter surprise, she laughed. The laugh was full and came from her belly, her head tilted back, hair like pale cold spilling out over her shoulders. "Bella!" She cried, "Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella," She said. She was pacing now, her fingers touching the comforter on the bed was she walked around it over and over. "Your stupid bitch Bella, ruins everything, all the time." She said. And he was starting to hear the insanity tinging her thoughts, but he paid no mind as he lunged at her. "I'll not have you talking about Bella that way!" He growled. She laughed harder, even as he had her pinned against the bed, she laughed. "You'll not have me talking about Bella?!" She cried, "She's with him, Edward! They're together right now, and still, you defend her? Don't be stupid! You've been left just as much as I have, dear. Your Bella's moved on." She said, running her hand down his cheek. He flinched. "I don't believe that." She was still smiling at him. "Believe it or not love, time will tell. You'll see it soon. Don't be so pathetic Edward, don't let her control what you do even now, even when she's doing God knows what with your brother Edward. Be a man! Please God, finally be a man." She shrieked. He moved away from her. _Too close, _he thought,_ much too close._ And he began to pace around the room as she had. She sat up, cocked her head to the side a bit, and looked at him as though she was seeing him for the first time.

"Look at us, Edward. What a pathetic pair we make. Both so perfect. We're perfect really. Its never made much sense for us to be with anyone but each other. There's never been a question as to why people loved us, only as to why we loved others. We're flawless. And look at us now. You've been dumped, by a human, of all things! And my Emmett, my stupid, silly, Emmett, has ran off and fallen in love with _your human_! Its a nightmare! But where does it leave you and me?" She slowly moved towards him, and he realized now that she was wearing only a robe. Though he knew she wasn't in her right mind, he couldn't escape how much more beautiful she was right now, when she was broken. Her hair was less perfect when it was wet, still white gold, but it didn't curl like it should in some places, strands stood out haphazardly. Her eyes, still topaz and shining, reflected the fracture in her mind, they pierced him and tended to his wounds in the same instant. Her whole face seemed changed, transformed with this madness that consumed her, consumed him with her, as he couldn't escape it.

When her arms came around him, he meant to push her away, but he was caught up in the puzzle that was her eyes, the maze that was her thoughts. What did she want? What did she need? What did he want? Where was it going, the perfect life they'd built, where was it going. Could it be that Rosalie was the only one who had it right? That Bella was leaving him? That Emmett had betrayed him? Could that be? Rosalie cocked her head again.

"Listen. Listen to how quiet the house is. There's no one here, Edward. Alice must've seen it. She must've told them all to stay away. This was meant to happen, Edward," She was pulling him onto the bed now, and he was following, questions flying around in his mind, but he followed. "I was made for you, Edward. Carlisle turned me for you. You're the reason I didn't die that night, beaten and bruised and alone. You're what I was meant for." She whispered to him. His mind cleared to ask, "What was Emmett made for?" She giggled again, "Emmett was made to keep me company, until you were ready." She told him, and somehow that made all the sense in the world. He felt his mouth getting closer to hers, and wondered when that'd started happening, but he didn't pull away. "And now?" he asked, when they're lips were a hairs breadth away, "Now Emmett has made a decision that wraps everything up rather nicely, wouldn't you say so?" Her eyes sparkled, her breath was intoxicating, and though he wasn't at all sure, he found himself saying, "Yes, it does make a lot of sense," before his mouth came down over hers.

**A/N: woah! I didn't even see that coming. Rose went crazy on me! I think I like it though. It fits. The next chapter will definitely be POVS, starting with Bella. This story will maintain its T rating, there will be no lemons. Reviews make me write faster, so keep em comin'. =]**


	9. The Game

**AN: I get some of the greatest reviewers in fanfiction history, of that I'm sure. My favorite for last chapter goes to Sanglin. You're probably going to hate me for this one. It's gonna get a little worse before it gets better...if it gets better. ;]**

**Bella**

Waking up in Emmett's arms was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. I never woke up in Edward's arms. He always moved at some point in the night, disconnecting us, afraid I would get too cold. But Emmett was still there, breathing steadily into my hair. He knew I was awake, because his arms loosened so I could stretch. "Good morning." I murmured. "Afternoon," he quietly corrected. I jumped, _afternoon? _and if I hadn't already been on the floor, I might've fallen. I took the time to survey my surroundings. "You let me sleep on the floor?" I asked him, incredulously. Not because I minded so much, just because Edward never would've let me sleep on the floor. Neither would Jake. They both would've carried me to bed. I guess I'd assumed that's just how men were, vampire and werewolf alike. He shrugged. "You didn't sleep on the floor, you slept on me. I was the one on the floor, and I didn't mind, so.." he shrugged again. I shook my head, attempting to get back on track. "What time is it?" I asked him. He gestured to her cable box, it read one seventeen. "One in the afternoon!?" I exclaimed, this time he gestured out the window. "Suns pretty high, even through the clouds, its pretty obviously daylight," he said dryly, and I twisted around in his arm, hoping he'd get the full effect of my glare. He chuckled lightly.

"You've been away from Rose for too long, you should go back." I whispered. "Do you want me to?" He sounded hurt. "No!" I said, a little too loudly. But it was true, I didn't want him to leave. I felt better with him close. He pulled me to my feet. "Go do that girly stuff that girls do. I'll take you back to the house with me." He said. I stared at him dumbly. "Rose isn't...you've been here all night. You left her to come here. I'm not...she's not going to want to see me. With you." I tried to explain, but the way he was looking at me (like a kindergartner trying to pronounce a word with too many syllables) got it all tangled up on my tongue, and it wouldn't come out right. He understood anyway I guess, as he pushed me to the stairs. "I'll worry about Rose. You worry about Edward. I'm sure you two'll have loads to talk about." He was right. Edward would be furious. I was trying to find ways to explain to him that it was nothing. This was twice I'd fallen asleep with Emmett, without it even seeming like falling asleep. There was never any stress with Emmett, so being awake with him was like dreaming. It was hard to tell when I started dreaming. It was hard to remember what we'd said....Oh God! The thought hit me like a ton of bricks. What had I said? I talked in my sleep, I knew that, but usually I talked about Edward, and Edward was the only one who'd heard me. Had I talked about Edward while sleeping with Emmett? Would I talk about Emmett while sleeping with Edward? I could see now this was building itself up to be some special kind of torture, and I wouldn't let it happen. I got out of the shower, blow dried and brushed my hair till it was straight, then I pulled it off of my face so it fell in a loose bun at the nape of my neck. Several pieces of hair refused to stay in the bun, as well as refused to stay straight, so they curled about my face randomly. I looked in the mirror, wondering how people like Alice and Rosalie could look so flawless all the time, and I always managed to look just a little messy. Must be the vampireness, I assumed.

Dressing in a pair of jeans and a deep green V neck sweater, I rushed downstairs. Emmett was in the kitchen, staring at the contents of my fridge. "See something you like there, Em?" He spun around, shaking his head slowly as though his disgust was so much he couldn't speak. I laughed. We left the house quickly, hoping no one would notice us (how they'd miss 6'5 Emmett Cullen was beyond me), hopped into my truck and headed up to the house.

Carlisle's Mercedes and Alice's Porsche were gone when we got there. It looked like only Rosalie and Edward were in the house. Emmett sighed. "Alice must've seen it," he told me, "She must've told everyone to steer clear." I nodded. It made sense, though it didn't bode well. If we were just going to have a friendly, "Okay, everybody, lets be friends now," conversation, there'd be no reason for the family to be gone. But if there was going to be broken furniture involved... Oh Lord. I realized I'd forgotten to ask Emmett something, and I'd probably never get the chance after today. "Em?" I whispered, but he turned his head and looked at me, like I'd spoken at full volume. "What'd I say last night?" I continued. He looked at me for a long moment, and then lowered his head into his hands, as if telling me was going to make this whole thing harder for him. He answered me through his hands. "You were having a nightmare. Scared the shit out of me at first. 'Where is he?' 'Where is he?' Your heart rate was all over the place. You were freaked." He sighed, raising his head so that he was looking at me, "Then you said my name. You kinda sighed it, you sounded happy. Like you'd found what you were looking for. Like I was what you were looking for." He finished quietly. I couldn't think of anything to say to that, so I nodded, and stepped from the car.

The house was unusually quiet when we got inside. Emmett listened, and then his brow furrowed, like he'd heard something he didn't like. Must've been the vampireness again, because I didn't hear anything at all. "They're both upstairs, in me && Rosie's bedroom." He told me, and then headed up the stairs. I followed after him quietly, trying to figure out what on Earth I was going to say to Edward. I'd been wrong yesterday, to push him the way I had and-

All reasonable thought left me, because Emmett had reached their room, and opened the door. Nothing in the world could've prepared me for what I saw.

**Rosalie**

Bella Swan's nerve is never ending. First she strolls into the hicktown that I call home and attracts the attention of the one man that didn't want me. Then, she goes and gets herself almost turned into lunch, and Edward feels guilty so we've got to pack up and move. Then she jumps off a damn cliff, so Edward tries to kill himself and ends up caught up with the Volturi. Then she somehow manages to make the one man who's pledged to love me forever want her. And then! When I'm finally getting some much needed sex from the aforementioned man who never wanted me, she has the nerve to interrupt! It doesn't surprise me at all that the fates have conspired to kill her so many times. She probably ruins all their fun.

Yet, there she was, flushing red, trying not to look at Edward, trying not to look at me. And Edward, God, Edward was just embarrassing. He'd ripped a blanket off the bed, trying desperately to cover himself. It worked. He'd hid his precious junk, but he'd exposed me. Not that I minded. I stretched languorously, daring Bella's eyes to take a quick peek. Let her see. Let them all see. Let Edward see what was destined for him. Let Bella see what she wasn't. Let Emmett see what he was leaving behind. I didn't mind a bit.

Stupid Bella Swan's eyes filled with tears, and Edward, well, so much for being a man, he was tripping and stumbling, trying to hold the blanket and explain to Bella that it was nothing, it was nothing. I'm sure I wasn't helping, laying there naked, looking like the cat who ate the canary, but what did I care really? Everything I had was seemingly laid out on a silver platter for Bella to snatch away as she chose, right? Time I took something back, I think. Speaking of everything I had, Emmett was staring at the bed, quietly, just staring, in particular at a pillow that had been destroyed sometime during round four, looking an awful lot like someone had just told him his puppy was dead.

I wished so much at that moment that I'd eaten some human food sometime before, so that I could excuse myself now to be violently sick. It was the only action I could think of that would show my utter disgust for this situation.

"Bella! Emmett!" I cried out brightly, their eyes both flew to mine, Bella looking terrified, Emmett just looking tired. "So nice to see you this fine afternoon," I purred, "would you like to have a seat?" I moved to the side of the bed so there was room for them to sit down. Or for one of them, at least. Edward would have to move to allow for both of them to sit, and he wasn't moving. He wasn't even blinking. Silly man.

"Where is everybody?" Emmett asked quietly. "Carlisle and Esme are at a medical symposium in Boston. Alice and Jasper are in New York. Nobody will be home until next week." Edward responded, his tone sullen. Bella still wouldn't look at him.

"Its just us! This happy little half of the family for the next few days," I giggled, "Whatever shall we do?" I placed a finger on my chin in thought, then let it trail down my neck, around my right breast, it had almost reached my nipple when Edward barked, "you could start by putting some clothes on." But I could hear the blood leaving his head, the comforter straining, he was hard again. Poor Bella. "No, I think I rather like the temperature in here just the way I am." I stretched again. Just because it felt good. "A shower then," Emmett cut in, quietly, "you stink of him," he growled the last. My eyes narrowed, how dare he be upset with me? "I should," I shot back, "His skins been on me since about twenty minutes after you left to go play with your food." I nodded at Bella. Edward growled this time, but remarkably, I felt no fear from Bella. She kept her eyes on her hands, which she was nervously ringing together. Emmett sighed.

"You want me to blame you, so that you can be angry. But I don't. I don't blame you. This is my fault. I deserve this." He said, and I couldn't help but look at him. Emmett, taking responsibility? Emmett, being a man? He growled low and long as his eyes shot to Edward, "But Bella should blame _you_, because Bella doesn't deserve this. This is not. Her. Fault. And you oughtta be a fucking shamed of yourself for this. For being found this way. You should know she doesn't want you. Listen to her! Listen to her mind, Edward. It's broken, she's quacked! This is nothing more than a ploy to get back at me! Which is fine! Maybe Rose and me.....maybe we're coming to an end. But you and Bella? You're just beginning!! And to end it like this...to let her see you like this!!" He stopped abruptly. Bella's shoulders were shaking. The smell of salt in the air was unmistakable. She was crying. Emmett pulled her to him. "I'm sorry, Minnie," he whispered into her hair, "I'm sorry you had to see that." And they walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Something hot and angry was twisting in my stomach as I looked at Edward. His face was visibly paler, and the hard on he'd been sporting for me moments before was a distant memory now. Ah, the power of human tears. Score one for Bella Swan. But this game was far from over. I rose slowly, flaunting everything I had left. My body was the only perfection this wretched life gave me, and if it couldn't get me out of this, it was good for nothing as well.

"I think I'm going for that shower now," I called over my shoulder to Edward, as I swayed my hips seductively walking towards the bathroom door. I turned the water on as high and hot as it would go. It felt like little fingers massaging me, and I leaned into the spray.

The sound of his hands on the door knob was like music to my ears. He stepped into the shower, wrapping his arms around my waist, muttering how wrong this was into my ear. But here he was. In the shower. With me. Again.

Score two for Rosalie Hale.

**A/N: I know, I know. Its sick and twisted, but I'm liking crazy Rosalie. She'll stay for a while. It'll be interesting to see what she does to the plot, don't you think? I honestly want you to know that this isn't going the way I'd planned it at all. I'm a character writer. I build my characters, with real personalities, and then I put them in the situation and see what they do. I try to keep them in character as best as I can, not manipulating them to fit the story, I'd rather manipulate the story to fit them. When put in the situation, Rosalie snapped. I saw it coming about as much as you did. Now the story's changed, so forgive me if it takes longer to update. And sorry for this extra long note. I don't do these, in general. 7 reviews = the next chapter. **


	10. Breaking Points

**A/N: Favorite reviewer for the last chapter would have to be Jean Krissy. Hold on, its almost over. **

Emmett

This was ridiculous. Completely and totally uncalled for. Bella and I were sitting on the living room couch, she was bawling into my shirt and I was glad she wasn't a vampire, that she didn't have vampire hearing, because if she did, she'd know they were at it again.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, so fucking stupid. _

I berated myself. This was my fault. My stupid wants and my stupid desires got Bella in the middle of this. I knew Rosalie wasn't going to take it well, I knew that. But for her to use Edward that way, just to hurt Bella. And for Edward to allow himself to be used, for something he _knew _Bella hadn't done. Bella hadn't even thought of doing! How could he?

The growl was in my throat before I could stop it. I was so angry I just wanted to break something. I found my eyes tightening a little too much on the fragile human in my lap. She stopped crying almost immediately to look up at me with wide eyes.

"Em, calm down honey. Sweetheart. Emmett. Emmett!" She screamed at me, snapping me out of my vivid visions of where I could hide her love's body parts as to make it the hardest for them to find.

"I'm sorry Minnie," I muttered, "I'm just...I'm really sorry." I told her, running my hand through my hair as I turned away from her. What was I supposed to say? It was only a matter of time before she started hating me too. Before she realized it was all my fault. That was _my_ crazy wife seducing the love of her life up there. Mine. This was all me.

Bella's hand stubbornly held to one of mine even as I shifted her away from me. "Emmett!" She cried out, and I had to turn to look at her. I couldn't imagine what must be on my face, what she must be seeing. I suddenly understood how much sense it made for Edward to go to the Volturi when he thought Bella'd died. He'd fucked up, royally, and he saw there was no way he'd ever fix it, so he'd wanted it to be over. I though it was stupid then. She was just human. Humans died. Its what they did. He wasn't going to change her, at least, it hadn't been his plan then, so what did he care if she died? He knew she was going to do it eventually. It had all seemed so ridiculously stupid. But that was back when my world made sense. WHen my whole world was Rosalie, and she stood beside me, proud.

But now, sitting on this couch will Bella, listening to her upstairs with my brother, I wondered what exactly she'd been proud of. Was she proud of me? Was she proud to say that she had me? Was I enough for her? Or was she just proud that I'd do anything for her? Was she just proud that somebody found her worthy of making her their world? Was I just a conquest? Something small inside me said not to belittle what I'd had with Rose, but something large inside me roared, reminding me of her current actions. I snarled again. Bella jumped. I shook my head clear, and stood, pulling her with me.

"Emmett, where are we going?" She asked timidly as I pulled her out of the house. "I don't know," I told her finally, as I was strapping her into the Jeep, "But we're sure as hell getting the fuck out of here." And with that we were gone. I tried not to think, but realized I had to. My thought was the only thing keeping me from ripping this tiny human to shreds. So I tried to focus my thoughts. Keep Bella alive. Keep Bella safe. Keep Bella happy. Keep yourself sane. As the Jeep hit the highway, roaring North at full speed, that became my mantra. The fragile human at my side trusted me completely, she squeezed my hand to tell me so. Even though she didn't know where we were going, or when we were coming back, she leaned against the seat and sang along with the radio like she was happy. She was going to stick with me no matter what. I could very easily fall in love with a girl like that.

Edward

I felt wretched after. The stomach that held no food turned, and I wanted desperately to be sick. Rosalie had long since left the shower, and was now fiddling with her hair in front of the mirror. I'd simply slipped down so that I was sitting in the shower, head in my hands. It was wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, this thing forming between Rosalie and I, and knowing that as I did, I still found I couldn't stop it. And for that, well, I felt absolutely wretched.

I'd been angry with Bella, so angry. Everything I'd done had been done with her best interests at heart. I'd only wanted to protect her. I'd only wanted her to be happy, and safe. I knew in a lot of ways there was no chance of making her truly happy, not as long as she was human and I was what I was, and I didn't want to let my selfishness touch her. As much as I wanted her, I didn't want to push my desires on her, even if they were reciprocated. I couldn't take the chance.

But then she'd sat there, in her kitchen, so calm, no nerves at all, and told me that she would allow Emmett to fill the spaces that I had not, eventually. Well, it hadn't been exactly what she'd said, but it was close enough. She'd said that, knowing how he felt, she was going to allow him to stay around her. She'd said that it felt _good_, that it felt _good_ to her, knowing that he wanted her. I was enraged. I almost couldn't see from it. And then Rosalie had started talking. Explaining that I was meant for her, and Emmett was made to clean up the mess we'd left behind. And I'd known it was rubbish, but when she pressed her body against mine, those needs I'd been repressing built up in me, and I'd given into them. I knew it would hurt Bella, I think I _wanted _it to hurt Bella, but I wasn't prepared for what I'd feel, seeing her standing there, crying.

Rosalie was singing French lullabies in her mind. She didn't want me to know what she was thinking. I didn't care much, either way. I rose from the floor of the shower, stepping out, walking straight past Rosalie, towards my room. She turned to watch me as I went, "where are you going!?" she called after me in alarm, but I didn't turn back to her, I just called over my shoulder, "I'm going to find Bella, I have to get her back." Rosalie let out a viscious hiss as I pulled my pants back on. I headed quickly for the door, hoping to avoid another confrontation with Rosalie, hoping to escape as quickly as I could. But the door to the bedroom swung open before I got to it, and the one standing there was the last I'd have expected.

Emmett

Night had fallen, the lights of Seattle were coming into view and I still had no idea where I was going. Bella had long since fallen asleep against my shoulder, we'd been in this car for hours. My ass was getting numb from all the sitting.

The second I acknowledged it, said ass began to vibrate sporadically. "What the...?" I muttered, reaching behind me to investigate, only to pull my small, silver cell phone out of my pocket. It flashed annoyingly, informing me that I had a text message. I flipped it open to read it. Alice.

_Seattle Hilton. They're expecting you, just give them your name. When Bella wakes, have her call Charlie. He thinks she's in New York with us for a funeral. I needed the moral support. You have a week. Seven days, Emmett. By then you'll be ready to face the music, but no one will be singing the tune you expect. I love you, Brother Bear._

My face twisted. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Well, at least now I knew where we were going. I pulled the car off at our exit as Bella started to stir. "Where are we going?" She murmured.

"Apparently, the Seattle Hilton." I grunted, and as if that made all the sense in the world, she drifted back to sleep.

**A/N: sorry for any typos!! **


	11. Exercises

**A/N: This one's for twilightxtender. This is the last appearance of crazy Rosalie. In all honesty? I'm gonna miss her. *sigh***

**Rosalie**

"I'm going tot find Bella, I have to get her back." He said. He had to get her back!? What _was_ it about that little insignificant brat that made _everyone _willing to give up everything for her?! She was _human_ for Christ's sake. We'd get another one if we lost her. I mean, I'd always looked down on vampires who kept humans for pets, but since the Cullens now seemed so keen on the idea, we could look into it. We didn't need Bella Swan.

I heard the door open and tore out of the bathroom, hoping to catch Edward before he left me. I couldn't stand for another man to leave me. I stopped dead as soon as I saw her. Her eyes were bright, and swimming with something, though I didn't know what, seeing as we didn't cry. The look on her face was heartbreaking, like she'd been disappointed beyond belief, but her stance was firm, like she would fight to get things back the way they should be. I knew she would. For the first time, I felt regret for what I'd done. I felt my sanity start to return to me. And I hated it.

"Rosalie Lillian Hale," her voice was thick with emotion, and I found myself feeling lower and lower with every syllable that left her perfect mouth. I looked to Edward quickly, knowing he wouldn't be any relief. I wasn't prepared to see him look so pained, but then, I should've been. He could hear her mind, and it was probably much worse than what I was hearing. I felt lower still thinking about it, Edward didn't deserve this. This was my doing, mine.

"Esme." I breathed. And she did the last thing I ever expected: she lunged at me.

I saw her coming, but I didn't move. I deserved this. I let her knock me to the floor, I let her hold me there. I didn't so much as hiss when she growled at me, when she sat me up, when she held me by my hair and forced me to look at what I'd become in a mirror.

"What have you _done_ Rosalie?! What have you done to our family!" She shrieked. I looked at myself, and wished for a moment that I looked different, that I looked worse. I wish there could be some physical representation of what I was feeling right now. Esme pulled my hair a little to get my attention. "You may have kept the name Hale, but I'll be damned if you choose now to act like one. The Hales of Rochester were cruel, heartless people that valued possessions more than love. They valued money more than people. You were a commodity to them. Something to be bought and sold as they wished. They sold you Rosalie. They sold you to a man who thought nothing more of you than they did. And Carlisle saved you from that. He saved you from that. _This_ is your family. Its the first real family you've ever known. We showed you _love_ Rosalie! And you have no idea how much it hurts us that you resent that!" I blinked over and over. I wished I could cry. I wished I could show her how sorry I was. I'd do anything to show her how sorry I was, but in the mirror my face was still perfect, still unapologetic. I couldn't change it. I wished I could. "We made you a Cullen!" she continued, "we showed you love. And now....and now!!"

She released me quickly and flew across the room, my head fell against the glass, cracking it. I turned and saw her sitting on the bed, sobbing. Edward moved towards her, "Esme..." he began. She snarled violently, and he froze. "Not you, don't you speak yet. You're just as much at fault for this as she is," she told him. And he wasn't. I tried to tell her that he wasn't, but there were no words. I couldn't speak. It seemed like there was nothing left.

"Is she sure?" Edward whispered, and I looked between them frantically. What silent exchange was this? Esme nodded sullenly, then she looked at me. "Alice can't see your futures. She can't see yours or Edward's at all. She's seen Emmett and Bella's up until next week, then it all goes black." she shuddered for a moment and looked up to me again, "Oh God Rosalie, what have you done?"

And I found myself wishing I was human again, so that I could faint or cry, or pull my hair out or something. But instead I just stood there, frozen to the floor, staring at my mother, the only real mother I'd ever known.

When words finally came, they weren't enough, but they were the only ones I could find. It was barely a whisper, but I was sure they'd hear.

"I don't know."

**Bella**

I was drifting in and out of sleep, so I wasn't sure if the snippets I was catching were snippets of dreams, or snippets of reality. I remember Emmett saying something about the Seattle Hilton, and I figured that was real, because, well wasn't it just like Alice to book us at the best hotel in the city when we were running away? If it were up to Emmett we'd probably be camped in a cave somewhere. And if it was up to me, we'd have gone someplace sunny.

I was confused now though, because the relative darkness of the car had been replaced by bright lights. Was this the hotel? Why wasn't I walking? I couldn't hear anything. Well, I could hear, but it was jumbled, nothing distinct. Then I didn't feel like I was moving at all. Must've been a dream, I thought groggily, drifting back into sleep.

I was almost there too, when Emmett started talking. "Minnie? Minnie wake up, we're here." He said. I moaned and tried to turn over, only then realizing that I was in his arms. He'd carried me in? Such an Emmett thing to do. My stomach growled. "You have to wake up so I can feed you. I'm sorry I didn't earlier, I wasn't thinking ,and then you were asleep, but now you're not, so wake up." He said firmly.

"If I'm not asleep, then I don't need to wake up." I muttered, wondering if any of that made sense, or if I was only having this conversation in my head.

All the sudden I was flying through the air, then I landed on something soft and bouncy. My eyes snapped open. "EMMETT CULLEN!!" I shrieked. "Did you just _throw me_ onto the bed!?!?!?!" I was trying to look stern, but it was hard with Emmett standing there looking unaffected. I struggled to look severe, but the harder I tried, the more amused he got, until we both ended up laughing so hard we couldn't see. Well, he could probably see, vampireness, but I couldn't see.

He got into bed with me, and I snuggled up against him. My body relaxed against his, and he pulled an arm around me, squeezing me closer. I wondered about the eerie calm of the situation. My heart would be thudding in my chest if I were this close to Edward, but with Emmett there was just a sense of comfort, and safety. It made me wonder.

"Emmett?" I whispered, wincing in anticipation. "Hmmm?" He responded lightly. I pushed myself up on my elbow to look at him. His eyes were closed, and he looked very peaceful, despite what we'd been through already. I took a deep breath. "I think you should kiss me." I blurted out, feeling my face flush. I regretted it as soon as I said it, who _says_ things like that? God, stupid Bella, so stupid.

He sat up, and peered down at me, perplexed. Then he ran a hand through his messy brown curly and took a deep breath. "Minnie, we don't have to do anything. Just because we're here, and because of everything with Rose and...Well, we don't have to. We've got a week, you know, we can just....take it slow or something." I stiffened. "I hadn't though about Rosalie and Edward at all since we left, actually. I was thinking...I was thinking that you made me feel different than Edward did. I was wondering what that meant." His eyes flashed with something, and I his lips moved in a flash of words that I normally never would have caught, but somehow I did. "Yeah, I bet its shocking not being treated like fucking glass for once." I shook my head. "It's not just that. You treat me like I'm breakable too...it's just different." I sat for a moment, looking at him. "Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this why Rosalie was so upset? Because you wanted me?" He nodded. "Yeah, Minnie. But at some point..I don't know, it changed. It was less me wanting to touch you, and more me wanting to make Edward see that you're a great person, and that you're stronger than he gives you credit for, that you're amazing." He looked sad. "I knew...I knew from the very beginning that my....my want for you, would never come to anything. It faded while I was in Denali really. And when you fell asleep that first night, when you said my name like that, I knew that even though I'd always love you...it needed to be like a brother loves a sister." He gushed out, and I stared at him. "So all of this...."I prompted. "So all of this was....an exercise in teaching Edward to do right by you, in teaching Rosalie to be right by me, to give you the balls to stand up to Edward, to not be so shell shocked by him all the time." I stared. I'm sure my mouth must have been open. I felt hot...not like I was flushing, more like my blood was literally burning under my skin. My hands were shaking, but if they were steady I'm sure I would've hit him. I wanted to hit him. Instead I buried my head into the nearest pillow at screamed a little. I felt his hand touch my arm, and his warm voice, "Minnie, I-" I sprang up.

"SHUT UP!" I said, hitting him with the pillow, then again, with my hand, hard enough that he'd get the point, but not hard enough to cause any permanent damage. To myself, that is. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!! All of this!!" I waved my arms about frantically, as if they could physically encompass the madness my life had been lately. "All of this was an _exercise?_ An _EXERCISE _Emmett! And what did _you_ learn from this exercise?" I hissed, pushing myself up from the bed to pace. "That you don't much like my exercises." I stopped my pacing to glare at him, but I couldn't find any words violent enough to fit the atrocious things I was doing to him in my mind. I continued pacing. I realized I was muttering my thoughts out loud. How was I going to get Edward back? Did I even want Edward back? Of course I wanted Edward back, but what if Edward wanted Rosalie? ROsalie. A loud groan escaped me and my knees went a little weak. I started to feel a little light headed, like I couldn't breathe through my nose. I stopped pacing again. I closed my eyes to help clear my head and pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger, so as to help me breathe better. A low chuckle from the corner of the room disturbed me. "You look a lot like Edward right now." I threw a book at him. He was at least humble enough to let it hit him. And that mollified me some. I sank into a chair near the window with a great sigh. Tears were filling my eyes, and though I hated them, I didn't have the energy to fight them back. "What are we going to do, Emmett? Your little exercise, it's messed people up. It's broken people's hearts. it's breaking up the family. We've got to fix it, so what are we going to do?"

Emmett crossed over to me, taking my hand in his, sinking to the floor and laying his head on my knee. I stroked my free hand through his hair, and he leaned into the touch. We didn't speak, neither of us knew what to say. We just sat that way until I drifted off to a sleep that I was sure would be filled with dreams of Edward.

**A/N: I'd gotten out of the habit of writing. It's been so long. This one's almost done. I'm most definitely changing the title. When this one's finished, I'm going to start an all human AlicexJasper story. It'll be cute. Uhm...Forgive me for taking forever? Review. They'll come faster now, I promise. I apologize for any typos.**


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